Ontario's Doctors: Reaching Out to All of Ontario's Patients with eSSENTIAL Accessibility™

Canada NewsWire

TORONTO, April 18, 2012

TORONTO, April 18, 2012 /CNW/ - The OMA is pleased to announce its
participation in a Disability Community Involvement Initiative
sponsored by March of Dimes Canada. In collaboration with eSSENTIAL
Accessibility™, the OMA will feature an interactive icon to enhance
online access for Canadians with physical disabilities.

eSSENTIAL Accessibility is committed to bringing organisations together
with the common goal of reaching out to the disability community in a
meaningful way. With eSSENTIAL Accessibility, the OMA is helping to
connect visitors with physical disabilities to the medical information
they need.

By clicking on the icon located in the lower right-hand corner at www.oma.org, visitors can access the online tools they need to navigate the Web
more easily. These tools are available to the more than two million
Canadians who have difficulty typing, moving a mouse or reading a web
page. eSSENTIAL Accessibility empowers users with dexterity
limitations that arise from a variety of conditions including stroke,
paralysis, arthritis, multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy and
Parkinson's disease. It also helps individuals who have difficulty
reading because of literacy deficiencies, limited English proficiency,
dyslexia, or mild visual impairment.

eSSENTIAL Accessibility helps Ontario organizations meet standards in
customer service, employment and communication as mandated by the
Communication Supports directive of the Accessibility for Ontarians
with Disabilities Act (AODA), 2005. eSSENTIAL Accessibility does not
ensure conformance with World Wide Web Consortium Web Content
Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). We all benefit from greater
accessibility given the contributions, involvement and spending power
of people with disabilities.

Quotes

"As physicians, we see many people each day who have various levels of
physical dexterity and English literacy. Our partnership with
eSSENTIAL Accessibility will help the OMA to meet the needs of
Ontarians with disabilities, and will help us improve our own ability
to communicate. We hope that other organisations will join in making
the internet an easier place to navigate for all Ontarians."

Dr. Stewart Kennedy, President, Ontario Medical Association.

"Almost one in five Canadians are living with disability. The OMA
recognizes the importance of serving this demographic properly. By
taking part in the Initiative, they are joining a growing number of
forward-thinking organizations creating economic and social value by
factoring people with disabilities into their planning."

Simon Dermer, Managing Director, eSSENTIAL Accessibility.

For more information, and to try out eSSENTIAL Accessibility, visit www.oma.org.